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College and the Quarter-Life: Lessons You Won’t Learn in the Classroom 101

I’d like to preface this post by saying that I truly think you will learn so much more outside of the classroom than you will in it (of course, the content is different in nature). I’d like to add that I’m no life expert, so don’t think that this list of five life lessons means I know much of anything… I don’t!! Living will be the greatest teacher and these are just a few pieces of wisdom I’ve gathered along the way!

Happy living! 🙂 🙂 🙂

1) You, and only you, are your best advocate.

Friends and family create a wonderful support system and I’m not suggesting that they do not love you, look out for you, and hope for the best for you- they do. I’ve learned, however, that you are the one who needs to make your voice heard and who needs to take charge. Even if they wanted to, no one else can do that for you.

2) You aren’t ENTITLED to anything. “Entitlement” doesn’t exist.

Nothing is ever handed to you. Your life is a product of what you have earned.

3) School comes first. A social life is secondary.

Of course, going out and being with friends is fun, but it’s easy to lose sight of the reason we go to college and take classes… for our education! Our educations are the keys to our futures (it sounds cliché, but you and I both know it’s true!) and while a social life is also beneficial, we need to remember our true purpose for being at college.

4) Trying to be someone you’re not automatically diminishes your chances of success.

If you don’t want to be yourself why should anyone else want to be with you, work with you, be friends with you, or hire you? Be yourself and everything will fall into place. “Who you are is a declaration of independence in itself!”

5) The word “no” is a powerful tool… use it.

This is a concept I have had trouble grasping in the past, but once I learned how to say “no” a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. It doesn’t make you mean, rude, incompetent, or any other negative thing if you make use of the word “no.” No one will think any less of you because you have a limit. In fact, they’ll probably think, “Wow, they know what they’re doing.” Saying “no” is a strength.